Sarah Fanny Finnis was born in Depwade in Norfolk to George Finnis of Worthing and Rebecca Kent of Norfolk, and was baptised on 5 March 1854 in Starston, Norfolk. Her father's occupation was a policeman.
Sarah's parents met in Worthing when Mother Rebecca was working as a Housemaid to a family close to where George lived. Her parents married in 1852 and had a daughter Millicent later that year. Sarah was born in Depwade Norfolk in her mother's hometown two years later in 1854.
The following year her grandfather died in 1855 and by 1861 the census records shows that the family had settled in Westminster London at 34 Ponsonby Place, Westminster, where her father George was a police constable for the metropolitan police. Sarah had another 6 siblings born to her parents in London, Henry 1856, Caroline 1858, Emily 1860, Mary Ann 1862 who dies the following year. Eliza 1864, and Mary 1868
Sarah takes a post as a domestic servant at Eltham House in Eltham, Kent. There are no census records found for Sarah until 1901 where she returns unmarried to live with her parents and sister Eliza at 12 Thorn Road, Worthing at the age of 47 years where both Sarah and her sister Eliza are dressmakers. Her father has retired from the Metropolitan Police and is working as a boatman at the age of 73.
Her sister Eliza dies later that year in 1901 of Septicaemia from a stomach ulcer and was buried at Heene cemetery.
Her mother dies in 1908 and Sarah has remained unmarried and living with her father George at 25 Thorn Road in 1911, still working as a dressmaker, her father has retired.
George her father dies in 1914
Sarah being the last remaining immediate family in Worthing dies at the age of 73 in Worthing in 1927 and is laid to rest with her father in Heene Cemetery. Mother Rebecca is buried close by. Sisters, Eliza Finnis and Millicent Burden and husband George Burden are also buried very close by to Sarah and her parents.